Below are some very helpful organisations who can provide support, advice and classes for new parents, daycare options (plus flexible drop off / emergency care options), schools, training and education opportunities for teenagers and more.
New parents
The City of Graz has an informative website with lots of resources for families (switch the language in the top right corner to English). Parents with newborns receive a welcome folder at the hospital (during corona pick up at Keesgasse 6, 2nd floor) with the following info:
- Essential information about your newborn
- Information on the Graz voucher worth 40 euros (to use towards their classes)
- Application for the Graz diaper check (€80 towards cloth diapers)
- Vaccinations
- List of all pediatricians in Graz
- List of important emergency and emergency numbers
- Information material from the State of Styria
New parents can also get free advice and even medical examinations from social workers and doctors at 15 parent advice centers in Graz (they rotate around each one during the week) for issues such as:
- Sleeping
- Crying
- Weight gain
- Diet, breastfeeding
- medical, legal and educational issues
- preventive health care
- development
They also offer birth preparation classes, baby massage, parent counselling, plus they have useful page with lots of links to other classes and programs around Graz.
Caritas has a special department supporting parents, including international families. They offer a great program ‘Startfee‘ for new parents with babies under 2, who are here without a support network of family and friends. They will pair you with a volunteer who will visit regularly, to chat, help with the baby, accompany you to doctor apts etc. Caritas also offers support and advice plus several parent groups – such as an international mothers groups, breastfeeding & baby massage, Emily Pikler play group and postnatal exercises.
Daycare places, primary and secondary schools, training and jobs for young people
Abi-Services – the education dept for the city of Graz (Keesgasse 6) provide advice and help with enrollment for public kindergartens, daycare places, compulsory kindergarten for 5 year olds, holiday care and primary school enrollment. They speak English and can also offer support in several other languages.
They also run the IBOBB cafe where they hold regular info sessions on apprenticeship, job & training for young people, different schooling options etc.
General family support
Zwei und Mehr – Styrian family services (Karmeliterplatz. 2) is one stop shop for information for families, they speak english and have lots of brochures and information on just about every topic on raising kids in Graz, including a useful hand out of all the family financial benefits. You can also apply for the Zwei und Mehr family pass which allows you to travel with kids for 38% discount on an adults ticket, plus discounts at many places in Styria.
Daycare, also flexible options and during the holidays
Kinderdrehscheibe (also at Karmeliterplatz. 2) is another great place, they also speak English too. Here you can get information on all the childcare options (public and private) in Graz – Tagemutters, kinderkrippe (under 3), kindergartens, after school clubs). They can also help you find a place outside of the official enrollment period. Other services include a babysitting pool, daycare options and you can view activities in the school holidays throughout Steiermark on their on-line platform. Plus they have information on the emergency sitter services below.
Flexible daycare options
NotfallMama are available around the clock, they can come to your home and care for your sick child on an hourly basis so you don’t have to miss an important meeting etc. Or if you have a child in hospital, they can help care for the healthy kids at home.
M.A.M.A (Attemsgasse 21 by the KF University) offers flexible daycare by the hour for kids 0 – 10 yrs at their daycare center, so you can run errands, doctors appointments etc.
Kinderfreunde Haus at Tummelplatz in the city center also offers flexible hourly daycare in the afternoons (3 yrs – 12 yrs) while you catch up on shopping etc.
Teenagers
Logo Jugendinformation (Karmeliterplatz 2) offer advice, support and service for teenagers and young people on topics such as work, international opportunities (exchange programs, volunteer etc), health (sexuality, body positivity and identity, bullying, addiction, sport, special services for girls), life from A – Z (internet safety, finances etc) , education options (trade schools etc) and leisure.
Other useful blog posts
Classes & sports activities for babies and children
Indoor playgrounds providing drop off childcare
Libraries in Graz (great for boardgames, tonies and they have free program of kids events for all ages)
My Graz 